Calcium, Vitamin D and Cancer Risk

In a study conducted in 2007, researchers found that women taking a combination of calcium and vitamin D supplements had a 60 percent lower incidence of all cancers than women not taking the tested supplement. Research in the June 2007 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has shown a reduction in cancer rates among postmenopausal women taking vitamin D combined with calcium. This four-year, double blind, randomized placebo-controlled study involved over 1,100 postmenopausal women who were divided into three treatment groups. The first group received a supplement containing calcium and vitamin D, the second group received just calcium, and the third group received a placebo. The researchers found that the women taking the calcium and vitamin D supplement had a 60 percent lower incidence of all cancers than women not taking the supplement. This new study takes an important step in extending several decades of research involving the role of vitamin D in health and disease. The results further strengthen the case made by many specialists that vitamin D may be a powerful cancer preventive and that it is commonly found lacking in the general population, particularly the elderly.
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2007 June;85(6):1586-91.

USANA Honored With Best of State Statue and Two Medals

SALT LAKE CITY—June 2, 2008—USANA Health Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: USNA), was recognized Saturday at the Best of State Awards ceremony with medals for the best dietary supplements and best personal-care products in Utah. USANA also received the prestigious Best of State statue in its overall category of merchandising and consumer services.
The 2008 Best of State Awards marks the fifth year that USANA has won a Best of State medal for its science-
based nutritional products and the second year it has won for its Sensé™ skin-care line. USANA was one of only 10 organizations or individuals to receive a Best of State statue. It was selected from the largest category, which included medal winners in everything from health products to home decor.
“We are grateful to be recognized once again as a leader within the nutritional supplement and skin-care industries. And, it was especially exciting this year to win the Best of State Statue for the broader merchandising and consumer services category,” said USANA President Dave Wentz. “Independent recognition like the Best of State Awards means a lot to our dedicated corporate staff as well as our thousands of independent distributors worldwide.”
The Best of State Awards were created in 2003 to recognize outstanding individuals, organizations and businesses in Utah. Best of State candidates are evaluated by a panel of 100 judges based on three criteria:
achievement in the field of endeavor; innovation or creativity in approaches, techniques, methods or processes;and contribution to improving the quality of life in Utah.
For more information about USANA’s high-quality products, visit www.usana.com.
About USANA
USANA Health Sciences develops and manufactures high-quality nutritional, personal-care and weight
management products that are sold directly to Preferred Customers and Associates throughout the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.
USANA Health Sciences3838 West Parkway Boulevard, Salt Lake City, UT 84120

Macular degeneration risk is reduced in adults with high intakes of lutein and zeaxanthin

Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of vision loss in developed countries. This degenerative eye disease causes damage to the macula (central retina) of the eye, impairing central vision. People affected by Age-Related Macular Degeneration have difficulty reading, driving and performing activities that require clear central vision. A report published in the journal Archives of Ophthalmology adds more evidence to support previous research showing that the carotenoids zeaxanthin and lutein are protective against AMD. Dark green leafy vegetables are the primary dietary sources of lutein and zeaxanthin, but they are also found in some other colorful fruits and vegetables. Average dietary intake in the U.S. is only 2 mg/day, far below the 6 mg/day level most studies indicate as a minimum needed to reduce the risk of AMD.
In the current report, members of the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) Research Group evaluated the diets of 4,519 AREDS participants aged 60 to 80 years. Retinal photographs were used to divide the subjects into five categories of macular disease severity, from individuals with little or no evidence of macular degeneration (the control group) to severe, neovascular disease. Dietary questionnaires were analyzed for lutein, zeaxanthin, beta-carotene, lycopene, and other nutrient levels. Participants whose intake of lutein and zeaxanthin were greatest had a significantly lower risk of AMD than those whose intake was least, and were less likely to have large or extensive intermediate drusen, the deposits on the retina or optic nerve that characterize the disease. No risk reductions were associated with the other nutrients examined in this study. The Relationship of Dietary Carotenoid and Vitamin A, E, and C Intake With Age-Related Macular Degeneration in a Case-Control Study: AREDS Report No. 22 Age-Related Eye Disease Study Research Group. Arch Ophthalmol 2007;125:1225-1232.

Low levels of vitamin D are common among healthy children

Vitamin D is essential for normal growth and development in children, yet many children who are otherwise healthy may have inadequate blood levels of vitamin D. A vitamin D deficiency in childhood may lead to muscle weakness, defective bone mineralization, and rickets.

A study recently published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that many children may be at risk for a vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D is essential for normal growth, development, and immune function. Researchers from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia assessed dietary and supplemental vitamin D intake, body mass, and blood levels of vitamin D in 382 healthy children (ages 6 to 21) living in the northeastern U.S. More than half of the children had low blood levels of vitamin D, with 55 percent having inadequate vitamin D blood levels and 68 percent having low blood levels of vitamin D in the wintertime. African Americans, children 9 and older, and those with low dietary vitamin D intake were most likely to have reduced serum vitamin D levels. "The best indicator of a person's vitamin D status is the blood level of a vitamin D compound called 25-hydroxyvitamin D," the lead investigator noted. "Vitamin D deficiency remains an under-recognized problem overall, and is not well studied in children." The researchers added that further study is needed to determine appropriate blood levels of vitamin D in children, and also suggested a review of the current recommendations for vitamin D intake.

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. July 2007. 86(1):150-8.